PCAT PCAT Certifications PCAT Questions & Answers

• Question 281:

  Which of the following would increase the pH of the blood?

  A. severe damage to the kidneys

  B. the digestion of a big meal

  C. an increase in anaerobic respiration

  D. an increase of the blood pCO2

  Correct Answer: B

  During the digestion of a large meal, parietal cells in the stomach generate hydrochloric acid (HCl) in exchange for a bicarbonate ion which enters the blood plasma, increasing the pH.

• Question 282:

  Which of the following would NOT occur during sympathetic stimulation?

  A. secretion of glucagon

  B. dilation of bronchioles

  C. dilation of intestinal blood vessels

  D. dilation of pupils

  Correct Answer: C

  The blood flow to visceral organs decreases during sympathetic stimulation, but increases under parasympathetic stimulation. One function of the sympathetic nervous system is to increase blood flow to organs in demand of air or nutrients. During the fight-or-flight response, vasodilation works to move blood away from the digestive system and towards the muscles.